Impact of Income Inequalities on Mexico's Popoulation Health

Social Inequality and Health in México 1990-1997:   Individual and Policy Pathways - "Former:   Impact of Income Inequalities on Mexico's Popoulation Health"

Adolfo Martínez Valle, The Johns Hopkins University

7 de Diciembre de 2001

ABSTRACT

AIMS: To study how social inequality has influenced the health status of the Mexican population at the individual level from a social class perspective as well as the state level from a policy perspective between 1990 and 1996. Explore the individual and policy pathways through which social inequality affects health.

METHODS: To empirically examine the social class gradient in perceived health in Mexico a secondary cross-sectional analysis was designed using logistic multiple regression models. To empirically examine the association between social inequality and health across states, pooled cross-sectional data was used. Secondary analysis was conducted for the 32 Mexican states for 1990 and 1996 using general estimation equation (GEE) models. Path analysis was performed to explore how the electoral strength of opposition political parties shape health care resource allocation decisions which in turn influence population health.  

RESULTS: The cross-sectional individual-level analysis provided empirical evidence that the lower the social class, the poorer the perception of health.   The results of the pooled cross-sectional analysis indicated that social inequality across states was as expected, positively and significantly associated with maternal and infant mortality rates. The path analysis findings suggest that the electoral strength of PRD affects maternal mortality through its impact on the distribution of primary care physicians per capita via targeted health care expenditures.

CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the findings of this study provided empirical evidence that social inequality negatively influences health both at the individual and state level. The results also suggest that social inequality may be...